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BULLETIN ^ 
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 

GINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION 



Engineering Experiment Station Series Bueeetin No. 12 



MOTOR TRUCK LOGGING METHODS 



BY 



Frederick Malcolm Knapp 

Student in the College of Forestry, 
University of Washington. 




SEATTLE. WASHINGTON 

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE UNIVERSITY 

APRIL, 1921 



Entered as second clas.s matter, at Seattle, under the Act of July 16, 1894. 



THE Engineering Experiment Station of the University of Washington 
was established in December, 1917, in order to coordinate investiga- 
tions in progress and to facilitate the development of engineering and 
industrial research in the University. Its purpose is to aid in the 
industrial development of the state and nation by scientific research and 
by furnishing information for the solution of engineering problems. 

The scope of the work is twofold: — 

(a) To investigate and to publish information concerning 
engineering problems of a more or less general nature that 
would be helpful in municipal, rural and industrial affairs. 

(b) To undertake extended research and to publish reports on 
engineering and scientific problems. 

The control of the Station is vested in a Station Staff consisting of 
the President of the University, the Dean of the College of Engineering 
as ex-officio Director, and seven members of the Faculty. The Staff 
determines the character of the investigations to be undertaken and 
supervises the work. For administrative purposes the work of the 
Station is organized into seven division? — 

1. Forest Products 

2. Mining and Metallurgy 

3. Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry 

4. Civil Engineering 

5. Electrical Engineering 

6. Mechanical Engineering 

7. Physics Standards and Testa 

The results of the investigations are published in the form of bulle- 
tins. Requests for copies of the bulletins and inquiries for information 
on engineering and industrial problems should be addressed to the Direc- 
tor, Engineering Experiment Station, University of Washington, Seattle. 



BULLETIN 
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 

ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION 

Engineiering Experiment Station Series BuIvLETin No. 12 



MOTOR TRUCK LOGGING METHODS 



BY 



Fre:de:rick Malcolm Knapp 

Student in the College of Forestry, 

University of Washington. 




SEATTIiE, WASHINGTON 

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE UNIVERSITY 

APRIL, 1921 



Entered as second class matter, at Seattle, under the Act of July 16, 1894. 



\<6 



LIBIWRY OF 



CONSNgSS 
PQC^^MENTS DIVISION 



CONTENTS 



Page 
INTRODUCTION 4 

HISTORY OF TRUCK LOGGING 4 

First use of motor truck in logging — Development of logging trail- 
er—Possibilities in the use of motor trucks. 

TRANSPORTATION OF LOGS — RAILROADS VERSUS MOTOR TRUCKS 7 
Comparative advantages and uses of motor trucks and railroads — 
Relative cost of road construction — Advantage of flexibility of mo- 
tor trucks. 

COSTS ; 8 

Operating costs of a typical 5-ton truck — Actual cash outlay — Total 
expense — Variable charges — Recapitulation of work performed. 

ROLLING STOCK EQUIPMENT 10 

Rigid versus flexible truck bodies — Chain drive versus worm drive 
- — Weight of trucks — Speed — Depreciation. 

INSURANCE 14 

Fire and theft insurance — Collision insurance — Liability insurance 
— Property damage insurance. 

TRUCK EQUIPMENT 14 

Bunks — Fires — Relative advantages of different types of tires — 
Laws governing operation of motor vehicles — Legal limit of weight 
of load — Chain drives — Tops. 



4 Contents 

Page 

TRAILERS 17 

Draw-bar pull of motor trucks — Effect of grades on draw-bar pull — 
Advantage of trailer — Description of trailer — Brakes on trailer — 
Air brakes on trailers. 

LIFE AND DEPRECIATION 20 

COST DATA ■ 20 

Operating expenses for 3% and 5-ton trucks — Fixed charges — Total 
expenses. 

ROAD CONSTRUCTION 24 

Sub-grade — Cross-plank roads — Fore and aft pole roads — Cement 
roads — Guard rails — Cost of road construction. 

BRIDGES 36 

TURNING DEVICES AND TURNOUTS 37 

Construction of turn-tables — Turning of trucks. 

TELEPHONES 39 

INCLINES 39 

Snubbing methods — Practicability of inclines. 

YARDING 41 

LOADING AND HAULING 41 

Methods of loading trucks — Loading with boom — Rigging of boom 
— Unloading. 

TIME STUDIES 45 

CONCLUSION 46 

Future use of the motor truck — Motor trucks and forestry. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 48 



INTRODUCTION 

In this paper an attempt has been made to bring together some 
useful facts concerning the apphcation of the motor truck to the 
logging industry. The term "motor truck" as here used is applied 
to the ordinary truck type of motor vehicle with trailer adapted 
to carrying logs, and does not include the "tractor" and the "cater- 
pillar tractor." These latter types present special problems of their 
own. In the following pages the discussion of motor truck log- 
ging is premised upon conditions as they exist in the forests of 
the Pacific Northwest. 

HISTORY OF TRUCK LOGGING 

Motor trucks in the logging industry are a comparatively 
recent development. As nearly as can be determined, the first use 
of a truck in a logging operation was made in this region by 
Palms and Shields near Covington, Washington, in the spring of 
1913. Since that time various types of road construction suitable 
for heavy trucks have been devised and the used of the motor 
truck for logging has steadily increased until at the present time 
there are about six hundred trucks operating in the woods in the 
Northwest. 

The first real progress in the use of the motor truck for 
logging purposes came with the development of the trailer. Although 
the motor truck has been brought to its present high state of per- 
fection in eastern factories the problem of adapting it to the haul- 
ing of massive logs was solved in Seattle, Washington, with the 
perfecting of a trailer which could carry unprecedented loads and 
stand up under the speed attained by a motor truck. In the early 
attempts to design a trailer, it was found that too great tractive 
effort on the part of the truck was required if the trailer was 
patterned after older types with simply increased dimensions in 
all of its parts. Through successive improvements the modern 
form of heavy duty trailer was finally evolved. It has solved a 
serious problem by permitting the hauling of heavier weights with 
the aid of the trailer than is possible with the use of the truck 
alone. With the help of the trailer and an adjustable reach, the 
motor truck has successfully entered the logging field. 

(5) 



6 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

In the Pacilic Northwest tracts of timber of sufficient area 
well situated for economical logging by old established methods 
are no longer plentiful. Almost every logging chance which exists 
today presents its own peculiar conditions and individual problems. 
An operator must therefore analyze the situation thoroughly be- 
fore arriving at a decision as to the most economical logging 
methods that will apply in any particular case. Even in diiferent 
sections of the same operation it is often necessary to use different 
methods. Since proper cost accounting systems are not usually 
kept by logging companies, particularly the smaller concerns, these 
companies often do not know that they are losing money upon 
one part of an operation because the success of the whole absorbs 
this loss. 




Pioneer log-g-ing with a motor truck in 1913. 

The use of a motor truck has proved to be practicable in many 
instances, and bids fair to become of increasing importance. It 
will therefore be advantageous for every operator to inquire into 
its possible applications. It should be emphasized, however, that 
the motor truck is not economically adapted to all conditions. 
There have been many failures. Each projected application of the 
motor truck in the logging field must be thoroughly analyzed and 
if a doubt as to its successful performance exists, expert advice 
should be sought. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 7 

TRANSPORTATION OF LOGS— RAILROADS 
VERSUS MOTOR TRUCKS 

The principal methods of transporting logs are by rail, by motor 
truck and by animal power. The last of these methods is, for 
obvious reasons, impracticable in the Northwest, and so needs no 
further comment. While it is impossible to give specific details 
in a general discussion of this kind to show where the motor truck 
may be more economically suited to the conditions at hand than 
the railroad, a comparison of the fundamental principles involved 
should enable any operator familiar with logging to determine 
whether or not to use the truck for his particular chance. 

In general the choice between railroad and motor truck log- 
ging depends, fundamentally, upon two things : ( 1 ) comparative 
cost, and (2) adaptability. Sufficient motive power and rolling 
stock can be obtained much more cheaply for motor truck logging 
than for a railroad. There are, of course, many situations where 
the locomotive and car costs, as well as those of constructing a 
logging railroad, are obviously prohibitive, and the question re- 
volves entirely upon the adaptability of the motor truck to existing 
conditions. There is no question at all that the logging railroad 
is not adapted to small, isolated and scattering tracts, and to cer- 
tain portions of larger operations. There are almost innumerable 
tracts situated close to public highways, or where temporary roads 
can be built, which may be veiy serviceable during the summer 
months, giving ample time to clean up the timber before wet 
weather sets in. In such instances, road construction and main- 
tenance costs are of very minor importance. In the larger opera- 
tions and in the use of the motor truck as an auxiliary to railroad 
logging, there are many opportunities for the reduction of logging 
costs. However, it is impossible to discuss these problems specifi- 
cally in a paper of this kind. They will need to be worked out on 
the ground with each case as a distinct problem. The fundamental 
problems covered in this paper will sen^e as a basis for the more 
detailed problems that must be solved on the ground. 

Wherever the item of road construction is important, it may 
be stated in general that the time required and the cost of building 
roads for motor trucks are very much less than for a logging 
railroad. This is due to the lesser importance of grades, curves, 
ballasting, bridges and other construction work, all of which is 
much cheaper and takes less time. In case a pole road is built the 



8 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

material found adjacent to the right of way can be utihzed for 
what it costs to fell it. 

From the standpoint of adaptability the motor truck is very 
flexible. It can operate on grades and curves that are impossible 
with the railroad. The whole logging equipment, including the 
donkey engine, can be loaded on the truck and trailer and easily 
moved from one setting to another. By replacing the log bunk 
with a platform the truck can take out all the smaller marketable 
material, such as shingle bolts, poles and cordwood. The modern 
truck can also be provided with the necessary equipment for use 
in snaking out the logs in stands of small timber and when used 
with a winch and an "A" shaped boom, will load itself. If the 
truck becomes mired in a mud hole, the winch may be used to 
pull it out. Finally, the item of fire risk is practically negligible. 

COSTS 

In order to arrive at definite figures as a basis for a com- 
parison between railroad and motor truck transportation costs, 
the following case is cited as an example representing average 
good conditions :* A 5-ton truck with trailer was used, operating 
on a seven and one-half mile haul over ordinary unpaved roads. 
An average of four trips a day were made and the actual running 
expense for hauling was $.90^/^ per thousand feet. Adding to this 
the overhead expenses of interest, depreciation, etc., the total cost 
of hauling was $1.44 per thousand feet. The statement of this 
cost is as follows : 

AcTUAi, Cash Outlay in Hauling 128,420 Board 
Feet oe Logs 

Gasoline, 284 gallons @ $.19 $ 53.96 

Oil, 3 gallons @ $.60 1.80 

Oil, 20y2 gallons @ $.45 9.23 

Incidentals — One electric light globe .35 

Hardware 4.03 

Blacksmith 3.00 

Driver, 11 days @ $4.00 _• 44.00 

Total $116.37 

128,420 feet @ $116.37, or $.90>^ per thousand feet. 

* West Coast Lumberman, Nov. 1, 1916, page 266. Labor, g-as and oil 
have since advanced in cost. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 9 

ToTAi^ Expense of Hauung 128,420 Board 
Feet oe Logs 
Investment : 

Chassis $4,900.00 

Trailer 700.00 

Total Investment $5,600.00 

Variable Charges 

Gasoline, 284 gallons @ $.19 $ 53.96 

Oil, 3 gallons @ $.60 1.80 

Oil, 20^ gallons @ $.45 9.23 

Tires, $.07>4 per mile on 615 miles 46.12 

Incidentals 7.43 

Total variable charges $118.54 

Depreciation — (based on 15% per annum on $5,600, less 

$560, the cost of the tires, or $5,040.00) $1,349 

Interest on amortized value at 7% .63 

Storage, $5.00 a month .20 

Driver @ $4.00 a day 4.00 

Total fixed charges $6,179 

Total variable charges $118.54 

Total fixed charges at $6,179 a day for 

11 days 67.97 

Total cost $186.51 

128,420 board feet of logs @ $186.51, or $1.44 per 1000 feet. 

Follov^ing is a recapitulation of the work performed by a 5-ton 
logging truck, Jan. 20 to Jan. 31, 1916, inclusive. The logs were 
hauled from O'Neill's Camp on the Bothell-Everett road 7^ miles 
and dumped into Lake Washington at Bothell. 

Date Trips Mileage No. Ft. Hauled Gas Used Oil Used 

1/20/16 4 60 10,768 30 2.25 

1/21/16 4 60 11,888 24 2.25 

1/22/16 4 60 11,707 30 2.25 

1/23/16 Did not haul. Roads in bad condition. 



10 Motor Truck Logging Methods 



1/24/16 


4 


60 


1/25/16 


2 


30 


1/26/16 


4 


60 


1/27/16 


4 


60 


1/28/16 


4 


60 


1/29/16 


4 


60 


1/30/16 


3 


45 


1/31/16 


4 


60 


Total 


41 


615 



8,894 


34 


2.25 


5,200 


16 


*1.00 


16,174 


29 


2.25 


11,276 


25 


2.25 


15,514 


26 


2.25 


15,511 


31 


2.25 


9,152 


20 


**2.25 


12,336 


19 


2.25 



128,420 284 23.50 

Many loggers who have used both the steam railroad and the 
motor truck claim that the latter is preferable in some cases and 
often is the only method by means of which logs can be gotten to 
the mill at a reasonable cost. Where the stand is scattered and of 
poor quality, the building of a railroad is not practical. In such a 
case the motor truck may offer the only solution. 

The motor truck makes the best showing when hauling from 
one "side." With a two or three side operation the railroad is by 
far the more practical. It must be remembered, however, that the 
railroad and the motor truck are not competitors in the logging 
industry — they are allies. 

ROLLING STOCK EQUIPMENT 

In general two plans are followed in building a motor truck. 
The first is to build a rigid truck so that it will resist all shocks and 
distortions that come from rough and uneven roads. The second 
plan is to build a flexible body so that the chassis will "give" rather 
than resist when subjected to hard strains. Although the rigidly- 
built truck may be entirely satisfactory for most forms of trucking, 
it is practically impossible to build one on the rigid principle that 
will stand up under the heavy strains to which a logging truck is 
subjected unless it is to be operated over good paved roads. When 
only ordinary unpaved public roads are available, flexibility is one 
of the most important characteristics to look for when selecting a 
truck. Where the operator is hauling over his own pole or plank 
road this consideration does not play so important a part, as the 
roaH bed then is more likely to be free from holes and irregularities. 

* Freight truck in the ditch. Pour hours lost getting the road cleared. 
**Two hours lost at the landing due to a spring slipping out of place, 
whicli made it necessary to iinload and load again. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 11 

All makes of trucks are more or less alike in general construc- 
tion, differing only in minor details, so that the personal whims of 
the buyer will largely determine the kind he will select. It is advan- 
tageous to have as long a distance as possible between the driver's 
seat and the bunk over the rear axle, in order to allow more of the 
load to be carried by the truck, and less by the trailer, giving better 
traction to the drive wheels, but necessitating extra strong rear 
springs and axles. 

The type of power transmission best suited to the use of the 
logging truck is a question that has received a great deal of atten- 
tion. There are three general methods of transmitting the power : 
(1) by chain; (2) by worm drive, and (3) by internal gear drive. 
Each has its advantages. It is claimed by many that the chain drive 
saves many hours of "shut-down time" due to the fact that if any- 
thing breaks in the transmission, it will be a link in the chain as 
this is the weakest point. It is then only a matter of a few minutes 
to insert another link. With the worm driven vehicle, a break in 
the transmission requires an expensive shut-down before the matter 
can be repaired. The worm drive, on the other hand, very seldom 
breaks if proper care is used. 

The chain drive also allows the replacement of the sprocket 
with one of a larger or smaller diameter thereby giving a higher or 
lower gear ratio, which cannot be done with the worm gear. This 
seems to be of some advantage to an operator when changing his 
setting from one with a short haul and steep grades where a low 
gear ratio is required, to one where the haul is long and fairly level, 
and where speed in transit is an advantage. 

On the other hand, in starting on slippery grades or wherever 
the traction is poor, the worm drive will give better traction than 
a chain drive because there is difficulty in taking up the slack that 
is always present in the chain before letting in the clutch fully. 
The slightest jerk given to the wheels when the slack is taken up 
is likely to cause them to spin, thereby losing all the tractive power 
of the drive wheels. In the worm gear there is no slack to take 
up and the power can be applied more gradually, thus reducing 
the chances of spinning the wheels and losing the traction. 

The question of the weight of the truck used for logging 
purposes is not as important now as it will be in the future. Laws 
are being passed in nearly every state limiting the maximum weight 
to be carried on each wheel by trucks using state or county roads 



12 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

so that the total weight of the truck without load will be important. 
When operating over state or county roads the load is limited to 
from 2400 to 3000 feet, B. M., of Douglas fir, depending upon the 
locality. In such cases, it is an advantage to have a lighter truck, 
say one of 3^ tons capacity. By adding additional leaves to the 
rear springs of a truck of this capacity it may be made to carry 
a larger load than it would be possible to put on a 5-ton truck and 
still comply with the law. The pulling power of the 3j/2-ton truck 
and the 5-ton truck is practically the same so that the difference in 
dead weight between the two may be carried in a profitable manner 
by adding four or five hundred feet B. M. of logs. Another 
advantage of the lighter weight truck is speed. The 3^/2 -ton truck 
is geared to make from 14 to 16 miles an hour, while the 5-ton 
truck is usually limited to from 10 to 12 miles an hour. 

Whenever the legal weight limit does not enter into the prob- 
lem, as in operating over a pole or plank road for the entire 
distance, is it, of course, advantageous to carry the largest loads 
possible. In such cases a 5-ton truck with an 8^ -ton trailer is 
the most profitable investment. This allows a much larger load to 
be carried in proportion to the overhead charges. The disadvan- 
tage of fhe 5-ton truck is that it is very heavy and unless the roads 
are good, it will easily sink into the ground and cause trouble. 
A common fault of the 5-ton truck today is the overweight of the 
front end, which is too heavy for the width of tire on the front 
wheels. This can be very easily overcome by the use of wider 
tires. 

LIFE AND DEPRECIATION 

The life of a truck is directly proportional to the care that 
it receives, hence, a good driver is a most important consideration. 
If the right man can be secured his wages should be a ^secondary 
consideration. 

The charge to be made for the depreciation of a truck is an 
uncertain question. Some loggers figure on the basis of four and 
a half years, others on as much as seven years. The depreciation 
charge on a truck used in the logging industry should depend 
largely upon the type of road over which it is operated. Loggers 
in general over-rate the life of their equipment because they do 
not fully realize the severity of the work. Over a fore and aft 
plank road or a cement road, where the jar and vibration are 
reduced to a minimum, the wear and tear on the equipment is very 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



13 



much less than where the truck is operated over a cross-plank 
road or an unpaved public road. The matter of depreciation, then, 
will depend largely upon the type of road over which the truck is 
to operate. In general a four-year depreciation charge less 25% 
sale value at the end of that time should be used as a basis for 
figuring costs unless the hauling conditions are very favorable. 
Only under very rare circumstances should more than four years 
be allowed. It should be remembered that the depreciation on a 
truck is very heavy during the first year, and the sale value at the 
end of a year is only half the original price. INIany truck oper- 
ators now hauling over good roads who are depreciating on the 
basis of five years say that a four-year depreciation would be more 
nearly correct. Another factor in favor of a .four year deprecia- 
tion charge is that methods of logging are changing constantly and 
that trucks in that time may be improved upon to such an extent 
that the use of the old equipment would be unprofitable and in- 
efficient. 




Swivel bunk on tiuck equipped for motor truck logging. The base on 
which the bunk rests is made of two heavy timbers about 18 inches by 
24 inches in section and 4 feet long, bolted togetlier and clamped to the 
frame of the truck b.v means of lieavy N-bolts, (D). The bunk is fast- 
ened by a king-pin (E) to the base and is free to rotate upon a steel 
center plate and two side-bearing plates (F). 



14 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

INSURANCE 

The insurance rates on trucks depend upon the use to which 
they are put. The insurance usually carried by loggers covers fire and 
theft, although some companies also cany liability /and either 
collision or property damage insurance. The equipment can be 
insured for only ninety per cent of its value. 

Fire and theft insurance is based upon the list price of the 
truck and body when new and the usual premium for the logging 
truck is one dollar for every hundred dollars of insured value. 
Theft rates on the trailer are based on a flat charge of twenty-five 
cents per hundred dollars of insurance taken, regardless of age, 
list price, etcetera. 

Collision insurance is based upon the list price of the equip- 
ment and covers full value at the time of loss of the damage to 
the truck by colliding with anything movable or immovable. 

The liability rate for logging trucks is $33.75 and is based 
upon occupation alone. This covers the public as well as the 
employee and is limited to $5,000 for one person and $10,000 for 
two persons or more. 

The property damage rate for logging trucks is $13.50, and 
covers the damage done to the property of others. It is arrived 
at in the same way as liability insurance. The usual limit for 
property damage is $1,000. 

TRUCK EQUIPMENT 

Bunks. All trucks for use in log hauling are equipped with 
a patent bunk over the rear axle on which the logs rest (see 
illustration on page 13). This is essentially a steel I-beam (A) 
which grips the logs so that they will not slip. At each end of 
the bunk are V-shaped iron chock-blocks (B) held by chains which 
run under the I-beam and are fastened by an iron gooseneck hook 
(C) so that the load is kept from spreading. These blocks may be 
adjusted to any width of load. The whole bunk is mounted on a 
swivel so that it will turn with the logs when rounding a sharp turn 
in the road. When dumping the logs at the landing, each block 
is loosened from the opposite side so that the danger of the logs 
rolling ofif on the men is greatly lessened. 

Tires. Solid rubber tires are generally conceded to be the 
best suited for the heavy dut\' required in logging. The use of 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 15 

steel tires is rapidly declining. The jar on the equipment is in 
itself enough to condemn their use. Rubber tires double the 
mileage of a day's work, more than double the life of the equip- 
ment, allow the weight of the equipment to be cut in half, and 
work well on dirt, cement, or any other type of road. The saving 
on the life of a pole or plank road by the use of rubber tires is 
also an item of considerable impqrtance. There are three general 
types of solid rubber tires in use on the logging truck : the so-called 
giant tires, the duals, and the non-skid or caterpillar tires. It is 
a question as to which of the three is the best. Traction for the 
drive wheels and also for the trailer wheels, if the latter are 
equipped with brakes, is the problem to be solved. 

The duals are satisfactory with light loads and easy grades, 
on cement, brick, or other perfect surface road, but when the 
haul is heavy and the braking difificult on account of heavy grades, 
the larger single-tread giant tires are more efficient. During dry 
weather it is safe to work with the single-tread tires on grades as 
high as nine or ten per cent, but in wet weather a seven per cent 
grade should be the maximum unless some extra means are taken 
to secure traction, and even then the wheels will skid if particles 
of soil get on the surface of a plank i-oad, unless chains are used 
or the wheel is wrapped with a light cable.* For very heavy-duty 
trucking, where resiliency and long ser\'ice are prime considera- 
tions, the giant type is rapidly superseding the old dual type as 
the former contains more rubber and gives more mileage with the 
least truck vibration. 

The non-skid or caterpillar tire may well be used on heavy 
grades or where the traction is very poor, the general opinion 
being that it gives a firmer grip on the road and makes it safer 
to handle the truck in wet weather. 

There is no standard width of tread for truck wheels. The 
w^idths usually used on the drive w^heels of the logging truck and 
the wheels of the trailer are twelve and fourteen inches, respec- 
tively. The use of tires of smaller width on either trailer or truck 
cannot be recommended. The wider the tires on the trailer, the 
better it is both for the life of the equipment and for ease in handling 
the load. When the surface of the giant tires becomes worn down 
so that the grooves become very shallow, it is desirable to have 
the tires re-grooved. They will last a great deal longer if this is 

* West Coast Lumberman. October, 1919. Page 25. 



16 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

done and will also give better traction on the road. The groove 
makes the tire lobes act separately on the uneven places in the road 
so that only one lobe is subjected to the strain of the irregularities 
instead of the whole tire. This is also trvie with reference to the 
strains that are set up internally due to the twisting the the rubber. 

LAWS GOVERNING THE OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES 

The Laws governing' the operation of motor veliicles upon tlie public 
highways of the State of "Washington are contained and summarized in Sen- 
ate Bill No. 220, Session of 1921 of the Legislature of the State of Washing- 
ton. They include the following provisions governing the operation of mo- 
tor trucks and trailers: 

(a) Chapter 153 of the laws of 1913 and Chapter 142 of the laws of 1915 
are repealed. 

(b) Motor truck vehicles weighing less than 1,500 pounds must pay an 
annual license fee of ten dollars ($10.00); Trucks weighing more than 
1,500 pounds and not to exceed 6,500 pounds, ten dollars ($10.00) plus forty 
cents per hundredweight for all in excess of 1,500 pounds and in addition 
thereto fifty cents per hundredweight at the rated carrying capacity. Motor 
trucks weighing more than 6,500 pounds must pay a license fee of ten dol- 
lars ($10.00) plus fifty cents per hundredweight for all in excess of 1,500 
pounds and in addition tliereto fifty cents per hundredweight at the rated 
carrying capacity. Trailers used as trucks sliall be classified and rated as, 
and shall pay the same fees as liereinbefore provided for motor trucks of 
like weiglit and capacity. 

(c) No vehicle of four wheels or less whose gross weight with load is 
over 24,000 pounds is permitted to operate over or along a public higliway. 
Any vehicle having a greater weight than 22,400 pounds on one axle, or any 
vehicle having a combined weight of 800 pounds per inch-widtli of tire con- 
centrated upon the surface of the highway (said width of tire in the case of 
solid rubber tires to be measured between the flanges of the rim) is also 
barred by the provisions of tliis law, with the following exception: 

PROVIDED, that in special cases vehicles whose weight including loads 
whose weiglit exceeds those herein prescribed, may operate under special 
written permits, wliich mvist be first obtained and under such terms and 
conditions as to time, route, equipment, speed and otherwise as sliall be de- 
termined by tlie director of licenses if it is desired to use a state liighway; 
the county commissioners, if it is desired to use a county road; the city or 
town council, if it is desired to use a city or town street; from each of wliich 
officer or officers such permit sliall be obtained in the respective cases. 
Provided, tliat no motor truck or trailer shall be driven over or on a public 
highway with a load exceeding tlie licensed capacity. 

Chain Drive. Trucks equipped with a chain drive should be 
supplied with an extra set of chains so that they may be changed 
and cleaned every week. To clean the chains, they should be 
soaked in kerosene which removes the dirt, grease and gum that 
has accumulated. By doing this the life of the chains will be 
quadrupled. The small amount of time that it takes will pay. 

Top. The truck should come equipped with a top over the 
driver's seat that is easily detachable. In bad weather the driver 
should be protected from the elements, but the top should be re- 
moved in good weather as it is in constant danger of being broken 
during loading. Many operators leave the top off entirely and the 
driver must dress for the weather. A good demountable top will 
add to the comfort of the men and often helps to keep a good 
man at his job. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 17 

TRAILERS 

The development of the trailer has made motor truck logging 
practical. Every truck has greater tractive power than it can 
utilize in the propulsion of the ordinar}^ load. Its limitations are 
due to a short-bulk carrying capacity and not to any lack of pulling 
power. The ordinary truck has a draw-bar pull of 2600 pounds. 
The draw-bar pull per ton of load varies from the minimum of 50 
pounds on a level pavement to 250 pounds on a level dirt road, 
depending upon the character of surface.* Twenty pounds of 
additional pull are required for each degree of gradient. For 
example, a fore and aft plank road offers a resistance of about 60 
pounds pull to a ton of load. If this were located on a seven per 
cent grade, it would require a 60 pound pull to overcome the load 
resistance plus seven times twenty or 140 pounds additional pull 
for the grade, a total of 200 pounds to pull one ton. Dividing 
2600, the draw-bar pull of the truck, by 200, the resistance offered 
by road and grade, gives 13 tons as the load that can be pulled 
by the truck over this surface and grade. As this must include 
the weight of the trailer, which when equipped for logging is about 
three tons, it leaves a total of 10 tons that the truck can pull. This 
is equivalent to about 3000 feet B. M. of Douglas fir logs, the 
average load that is hauled. While such an adverse grade as cited 
in this illustration is avoided if possible with a loaded truck, the 
illustration will serve to show the pulling capacity of the truck. 
The hauling of loads of this size would be impossible without the 
use of the trailer. The normal load, then, may be increased two, 
three, or even four times, by the use of the trailer, over the maxi- 
mum load that can be carried by the truck alone. 

Objection to the trailer that it tends to shorten the life of the 
truck is hardly worth consideration. According to a careful analysis 
it has been estimated that the use of the trailer does not shorten 
the life of the truck by more than one 'year, which is of little 
consequence when the saving due to the size of the load that can be 
carried is taken into consideration. 

Description of the Trailer: The frame of the trailer is con- 
structed of heavy steel channel bars which support the twin bunks 
used for logging, and for the substructure to carry the body when 
used for other service. The steel frame is supported by semi- 

* Operating Cost of Motor Truck Computed. Timberman. Feb., 1918. 
Page 60. 



18 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



elliptic springs held by shackles similar to those of the truck. The 
springs rest secvn^ely upon the axle, are clamped to it by U-bolts, 
and are relieved from side stresses by radius rods which connect 
the axle to the frame. 

The trailer is coupled to the truck by a reach which is passed 
through guides secured to the hounds of the trailer. The latter 
may slide upon the reach and- is held in thhe desired position with 
reference to the truck by means of clamps. The hounds are 
located fore and aft of the axle and are connected to it by steel 
plates. The square reach is more favored generally by loggers 
than the round type for the reason that it can be more easily 
adjusted, particularly the round reach that is cut in the woods, 
which is irregular and has to be clamped very tightly in order to 
make it stay in place. Holes bored through the square reach 
makes the adjustment easy. Combination steel and wood reaches, 
the sides being of channel iron and the center of wood, are favored 
by some operators. 

The twin bunks of the trailer carry the load in balance upon 
the axle independent of the reach, thereby relieving the reach of 
all vertical stress. (vSee illustration below). The rear bunk 




Type of trailer adapted for heavy Pacific coast logging. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 19 

is just an ordinary wooden affair designed only to help support 
the weight of the logs. The front bunk is of the same construc- 
tion as the one on the truck (described above) and senes to hold 
the load in place. 

The trailer is guided through the reach directly to the axles, 
thus relieving the springs and frame from side stresses. The 
springs and their suspension from the frame permit a limited 
movement of the frame and the load independent of the wheels 
and axles and vice versa. This enables the wheels to pass over an 
obstruction or drop into a hole without subjecting the trailer to 
shocks that would otherw^ise ensue. 

Other types of trailers are used to a limited extent. The 
trailer described above was evolved by local engineers and is in 
almost universal use in motor tiaick logging operations. 

Brakes. All trailers should be equipped with brakes when 
negotiating heavy grades. A device connecting the trailer brakes 
to the truck permits a ready control from the driver's seat on the 
truck. The brake outfit is easily attached to the truck and consists 
of a ratchet and lever which winds a one-quarter inch cable on a 
small drum. The cable winds around a second drum which is 
attached to the frame of the truck about six feet back of the 
driver's seat. A third drum in the center of the chassis attached 
to the shaft of the second drum w^inds a cable which goes to an 
equalizing bar just in front of the trailer brake. As the ratchet 
and drum are tightened, the motion is transmitted through the 
second and third drums to the equalizing bar. Two arms extend 
from this bar to roads which when pulled forward, move a bar 
attached to the road in such a way that the brake band in the inside 
of the brake shoe is extended against the shoe, applying the brakes 
evenly to each wheel no matter how uneven th road-bd or how 
sharp the cui-ve. A spring attached to the reach clamp pulls back 
the equalizing bar when the brakes are released. A heavy spring 
on the drum in the center of the shaft on the truck allows for 
curves so that an even pressure is always maintained. 

The use of a trailer equipped with brakes will do away with 
the numerous devices for snubbing a load of logs down a grade not 
steeper than twelve per cent. Grades up to this degree of steepness 
are safe to operate over in dry weather without added braking power 
if the trailer is properly equipped. 



20 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

A simple and it is claimed an effective air brake for motor 
trucks and trailers is now being marketed by an air-brake concern of 
San Francisco but it has not yet been tried out in the logging 
industry. "Braking action is secured by means of a diaphragm 
and pressure plate. The diaphragm is directly connected to the 
brake-band lever. No air compressor is used in this system. A 
small air receiver or storage tank takes the spent gases from one 
of the cylinders by utilizing the outlet afforded by a priming cock. 
The brakes are applied by a control system mounted on the steer- 
ing column. By means of a quickly adjusted hose connection, 
air can be applied to the wheels of the trailer using the control 
which governs the braking of the truck. The air pressure in the 
storage tank is automatically maintained by means of an accumu- 
lator valve which closes when the tank pressure reaches 150 to 
175 pounds. If the tank should be empty at the top of a long 
grade, sufficient pressure is generated by the compression of the 
engine to operate the brakes. Opening the throttle to full emer- 
gency position will apply maximum braking effect without sliding 
the wheels."* 

This system has not been tried out tmder the conditions as 
found in the woods but if it can be made to work satisfactorily it 
will be a big improvement over the old system as the driver will 
then have instantaneous control over the load at all times. 

LIFE AND DEPRECIATION 

The life of the trailer is about the same as that of the truck, 
and in depreciation, a period of four years is usually allowed. The 
maintenance and upkeep of the trailer is very low. It rarely gives 
out and with the ordinary usage requires only a few minor repairs 
eveiy two or three years. 

COST DATA 

The items of expense are here segregated in such a manner 
that they may be used as a basis for figuring the cost of hauling 
logs under average conditions. These costs are for the truck and 
trailer as a unit. If a road has to be built, the overhead charge 
of the road per thousand feet of timber hauled over it together 
with the cost of upkeep must be added to the figures given below 
in order to know the total cost of transportation per thousand feet. 

* Air Brakes for Trucks. Timberman. March, 1920. Page 48g. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 21 

3000 FOOT CAPACITY, OUTFIT COMPLETE 

The following figures are for a 3j%-ton logging truck with a 5- 
ton trailer. The figures are based upon a 275 working day year. 

Cost of equipment (as a basis) $6700.00 

Less resale value at expiration of 4 years at 

25% of the original cost $1675.00 

Less cost of tires, 

2-36"x 6" $140.50 

4-40"xl2" 776.00 916.50 



Total $916.50 $2591.50 2591.50 



Basis for computing $4108.50 

RUNNING EXPENSES PER MILE 

Per Mile 
Tires, based on a cost of $916.50 and a life of 8000 miles__$ .1145 

Gasoline, four miles to a gallon @ $ -28 per gal .07 

Oil and grease .02 

General repairs .03 



Total running expenses per mile $ .2345 

FIXED CHARGES PER 275 WORKING DAY YEAR 

Depreciation, based on 25% per year on $4108.50 $1027.12 

Interest on money invested at 6%; (figured on truck less 

cost of tires) 347.01 

Driver at $7.00 a day 1925.00 

License 27.00 

Insurance, Fire, Theft and Liability based on $1 a hundred 
on 90% of the value of the new truck for fire and theft, 
and a flat rate of $33.75 for liability 90.75 



Total fixed charges for 275 day year $3416.88 

Total fixed charges per day 12.418 



22 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

TOTAL EXPENSES 

30 40 50 60 70 

miles miles miles miles miles 

Uniform variable charges $7,035 $9.38 $1L725 $14.07 $16,415 

Fixed charges 12.418 12.418 12.418 12.418 12.418 

Total charges (per day) _ 19.453 21.798 24.143 26.488 28.833 
Total cost per mile, loaded 

one way only .648 .545 .482 .441 .412 

Total cost per 1000 ft. per 

mile with 3000 ft. to the 

load .216 .181 .160 .147 .137 

4000 FOOT CAPACITY, OUTFIT COMPLETE 

The following figures are for the 5-ton logging truck equipped 
with an 8^/2 -ton trailer, based on a 275 working day year : 

Cost of equipment (as a basis) $7600.00 

Less resale value at expiration of four years 

at 25% of original cost $1900.00 

Less cost of tires : 

2— 36-in. X 6-in $ 140.50 

4— 40-in. X 14-in 923.00 1063.50 



Total J $1063.50 $2963.50 2963.50 



Basis for computation __$ 4636.50 

RUNNING EXPENSES PER MILE ., 

per mile 

Tires, based on cost of $1063.50 and a life of 8000 miles— $ .129 

Gasoline, 3>< miles to the gallon @ $.28 per gal .08 

Oil and grease .02 

General repairs .035 



Total running expenses per mile $ .264 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 23 

FIXED CHARCxES PER 275 DAY YEAR 

Depreciation, based upon 257' per yeai" on $4636.50 $ 1157.13 

Interest on money invested at 69* (figured on equipment 

less- cost of tires) 392.19 

Driver at $7.00 a day 1925.00 

License 27.00 

Insurance, fire, theft and liability, based on $1 a hundred 
on 90% of the value of the new truck for fire and 
theft, and a flat rate of $33.75 for liability 101.75 

Total fixed charges for 275 day year $3603.07 

Total fixed charges per day 12.92 

TOTAL EXPENSES 

30 40 

Uniform variable charges per miles miles 

mile $.247 $ 7.92 $10.56 

Fixed charges per day 12.92 12.92 

Total charges per day 20.84 23.48 

Total cost per mile loaded one way 

• only - .694 .587 .522 .479 

Total cost per 1000 feet per mile 

with a 4000 foot load .173 .146 .130 .119 

The above costs will be found to be approximately correct for 
average operations. They will vary somewhat with the road con- 
ditions, loads, grades, and the efficiency of the driver. These varia- 
tions, however, will be slight. They will not amount to more than 
one cent per thousand feet per mile of haul. I'he investment pays 
the owner six per cent and provides renewals for all time. The 
interest charge is based on the total cost of the equipment less the 
cost of the tires. The tire cost is deducted in figuring the interest 
charges because this item is covered under running expenses. The 
resale value of the truck at the end of four years is not deducted 
from the interest charge, because this sum is tied up for that length 
of time. Renewal for the equipment is taken care of by the crea- 
tion of a sinking fund based on an average life of four years. 
Theoretically, on a 5-ton truck, $1157.13 is put aside each year for 
four years at the expiration of which time the aggregate of these 



50 


60 


miles 


miles 


$13.20 


$15.84 


12.92 


12.92 


26.12 


28.76 



24 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

savings together with the resale value of $1900, automatically 
provides for the purchase of new equipment.* 

A fifty-mile haul may be used as an illustration for figuring 
the total running expense of the 5-ton truck. This means that the 
truck makes trips enough to total fifty miles for the day's run. 
The cost per mile, incktding gasoline, oil and repairs is 26.4 cents. 
It will, therefore, cost $13.20 for the fifty miles. To this amount 
must be added $12.92, daily overhead charge, making a total of 
$26.12 for fifty miles traveled or 52.2 cents a mile. With an aver- 
age load of four thousand feet the cost will be 13.0 cents per mile 
per thousand feet. A glance at the table will show that the greater 
the mileage and the larger the load, the less will be the overhead 
expense and consequently the cost per mile per thousand feet. To 
these items must be added the cost and maintenance of the road if 
one has to be built. 

ROAD CONSTRUCTION 

The question of the kind of road for hauling logs with the 
motor truck is a very important one. It is impossible to move a 
fifteen-ton load day in and day out unless there are good roads, 
and no motor truck operation of reasonably large proportions can 
be successfully maintained without a road that is well constructed 
and which will not give way during any kind of weather, under 
the loads that are carried. One cannot successfully and con- 
tinuously operate on dirt or even gravel roads as they are good 
only when dry. Good roads are as important to the motor truck 
operator as the railroad is to the transportation of logs by rail. 

The big handicap in motor truck logging in the past has been 
poor roads. The same man who will survey, grade, carefully lay 
and ballast the steel for a logging railroad will many times put a 
truck and trailer on a poor dirt road and expect the truck to haul 
economically and satisfactorily. A motor truck will haul over 
some mighty poor apologies for roads but it does not pay. A good 
road is an excellent investment. It makes larger loads and more 
trips a day possible, will save on tires and repairs, and will requii'e 
less gasoline to the mile ; the efficiency and output will be in- 
creased and the time and operating costs will be decreased. 

* Timberman. Feb., 1918. Page 60. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



25 




Sub-grade for motor truck log-ging road. 



26 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

There have been some very successful operators who have 
secured a small body of timber at a low price on a public road 
who made the motor truck pay without building a road. This 
method of logging in a small way will continue to be carried on by 
small operators who will haul only during three seasons of the 
year or even less. However, the big future for the motor truck for 
logging is in the larger tracts of timber where it would not pay 
to put in a railroad but where a good type of motor truck road 
can be built cheaply and loads as large as the truck can handle 
be carried with no road restrictions as to the weight. 

In general four types of roads are used by loggers: (1) the 
cross-plank road, (2) the fore and aft pole road, (3) the fore and 
aft plank road, and (4) the cement road. The puncheon road 
is a modification of the fore and aft plank road and will be taken 
up with the latter. The methods and cost of construction, the 
advantages and the disadvantages of these various types of roads 
follow in detail. 

Sub-Grade : The sub-grade is put in the same way for each 
type of road. The average width of the truck is seven feet and 
six inches, calling for a road about eight and a half feet wide, so 
that the sub-grade should be twelve feet in width. An illustration 

of the amount of grading necessar\- is shown on page Too 

much care cannot be taken in the matter of ditches for draining. 
In a rainy climate, the water should be carried away from the 
hill side of the grade ever\' fifty feet. 

Cross-Plank Road : The cross-plank road is constructed by 
laying cull ties on hewn poles lengthwise of the road. Three rows, 
four feet apart are used and second grade ten foot plank, six 
inches thick and of random widths, are securely nailed to the 
ties. Great care must be taken to have the ties laid fairly smooth 
if the road is to be even. Plank less than six inches in thickness 
should not be used as the thinner ones very soon crack and go to 
piece under the excessive jar and vibration. 

This is a very expensive road to build as it wastes material. 
Six thousand feet of lumber is necessary for every hundred foot 
station, at a cost of $222 a station for the material alone, without 
considering the cost of laying it. The maintenance cost also is 
very heavy because the nails pull out as a result of the vibration 
caused by the truck. This type of road is used only over short 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 27 

stretches, such as swampy ground in connection with the dirt road, 
and on steep grades and sharp turns in connection with the pole 
or plank road. 

The Esary Logging Company at Camano Island, Washington, 
put in a cross-plank road for a short distance on a sharp curve 
and a steep grade, to see how it would affect the traction. It was 
found that cross planking was not necessary no curves where the 
grade is ten per cent or less when coming down with a load, pro- 
viding trailer brakes are used. In the future the company will not 
use this type of road unless grades above this maximum are en- 
countered. It is impossible to lay a cross-plank road smoothly 
because the stringers settle and make the road bumpy. The result- 
ing jar on the equipment and the fact that these stretches have to be 
taken at a much reduced speed, furnish ample reason to condemn 
its use. 

The only real use for a cross-plank road is to secure better 
traction on grades exceeding ten or twelve per cent, and then it 
should be laid with a space of about one inch between the planks. 
Even in such cases it would be better to use some other method 
for securing traction, such as sanding the track or winding the 
drive wheels with a light cable. The waste of material and the 
excessive vibration limit the use of this type of road. 

Fore and Aft Pole Road. In the fore and aft pole road, poles 
from twelve to fourteen inches in diameter are hewn on one or 
more faces and laid longitudinally with the road, with one or 
more logs for each wheel track. This type of road is commonly 
used by motor truck loggers and is one that lends itself readily to 
their use. It is the most practical road that can be built unless 
there is a small saw-mill handy to saw planks for the fore and aft 
plank road. The smaller material growing along the right of way 
is used at an expense of only what it costs to fell it, hew it and 
put the poles in place. Hemlock poles may be used to advantage. 

Some operators use the single large pole placed on cross-ties 
eight or ten feet apart and use lighter eight-inch poles placed on 
the outside for a guard rail to keep the truck from leaving the 
track. The main pole is laid in a ditch about eight inches deep, 
leaving it half buried. This helps to keep the poles from spreading 
and increases their firmness and strength. The pole is notched 
into the cross-ties, which are made of logs not less than eight 
inches in diameter, and is securely nailed or bolted to prevent it 



28 ' Motor Truck Logging Methods 

from rolling. The outside guard rail is laid on the surface of the 
ground close to the main track and is securely braced from the 
outside by means of posts sunk into the ground or it may be 
spiked to the main pole or to the ties. When running with the 
trailer on this narrow type of road, the guard rail is very necessary. 

After the poles have been laid, the sub-grade should be ditched 
in the center deep enough to carry away the water that falls in 
the middle of the road. The success of the road depends to a large 
extent upon good drainage. 

The Meicklejohn and Brown Logging Company near Monroe, 
Washington, operate over a pole road with three poles for each 
wheel. The poles are from ten to twelve inches in diameter at 
the small end and are hewn to a six inch face, giving an eighteen 
inch bearing surface for each wheel. (See illustration on page 29.) 
The minimum sized pole that should be used for roads of this 
character is one eight inches in diameter at the small end. The 
road is constructed the same way as the single pole road and the 
poles are laid on cross ties twelve inches in diameter placed from 
eight to ten feet apart. Where the road is off the ground as when 
crossing over a small depression, these sleepers must not be over 
five feet apart. The guard rails at this operation are held in place 
by means of a wooden brace nailed from each end of the rail to 
a near-by stump. The ends of the poles used for the track are 
adzed so that they match evenly. By breaking the joints and 
hewing them the road presents a level surface with no bumps. 

In planning the curves, it is necessary to make the tracks 
somewhat wider than on straight stretches in order to keep the 
trailer from running off. The track should be three feet wide on 
sharp curves and provided with a stout guard rail if there is any 
danger of the truck leaving the track. The cui"ves are banked 
on the opposite side from that used on railroad curves. That is, 
the inner i*ail is raised about three inches. This is to throw the 
load to the outside away from the inner guard rail, making it 
easier to make the turn without the rear wheels binding. In this 
way a 35 degree curve may be negotiated with forty or fifty foot 
logs. As the curves have to be passed at a much reduced speed, 
there is little danger of the logs rolling off due to the raised inner 
rail. 

The grading for a road of this construction is usually light. 
The grades should, if possible, be kept below five per cent. A 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



29 



truck will operate better on a ten per cent grade in dry weather 
than on a five per cent one in wet weather. On a road of this 
type, grades up to ten per cent can be operated over unless there 
is snow. ■ When the grades are above this and the weather is wet, 
traction still may be secured by sanding the road or by tacking an 
old half inch steel cable to the road in the form of a figure "s". 
If this is sanded in addition, the truck may safely be taken up a 
steeper grade than it would ^e safe to bring it down without 
sanding. 

The pole road could be greatly improved by hewing the faces 
of the poles where they come together side by side so that an even 
fit is made. The details of this improved form of construction are 
shown in figure 1, page 30. 




The most cuminun tj-pu 



if mill '>i I link Idgginj 
pole road. 



road — a fore-and-aft 



30 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 




Figure 1. Cross section of pole road. Scale — 1 inch equals 2 feet. 



At the present time this is not done and there are one or more 
ruts in the surface of the road due to the rounding off of the poles 
where they are placed side by side. The front wheels of the 
truck are constantly dropping into these ruts, tending to spread 
the track apart and making it harder for the driver to steer. The 
tires also suffer from uneven wear. With this deep groove in the 
track, a certain amount of the traction of the rear wheels is also 
lost. Hence a much better road would be one with the inner faces 
of the poles hewn so that a tight fit is secured. 

This road can be built of two large poles or three smaller ones 
to give a flat track two and a half feet wide for each wheel. Laid 
nearly flush with the ground the guard rail can be eliminated with 
this width of track, except on sharp curves and other locations 
where there would be danger if the truck left the track. On such 
a road the traction will also be increased, better time can be made, 
the truck will be easier to steer and hence safer to operate, and 
there will be less wear on the tires. Such a road can be very 
easily and cheaply built by bringing in a portable sawmill and slab- 
bing the material on two sides to the desired face. 

The life of a good pole road is from three to four years if 
kept in good repair. The maintenance cost is very light if the road 
is properly constructed in the first place, consisting chiefly in 
removing a pole here and there that shows signs of too much wear, 
and in bracing guard rails where they weaken. The use of two 
or three hewn poles laid lengthwise for each wheel without cross- 
ties does not pay as the poles soon get out of place even when 
trenched, and the loss of traction due to the irregularities and of 
time and money in the upkeep of such a road more than justifies 
putting in a good road in the first place. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 31 

The cost of a fore and aft pole road varies with the accessi- 
biHty of the material and the cost of the labor. In the past they 
have been built for as low as $2000 a mile, but with the present 
prices costs will range from $5000 to $7000 a mile. One company 
within the year contracted the grading and construction of the 
road for $70 a hundred foot station, not including the cost of 
clearing and chunking out the right of way. The total cost was 
about $125 a station or $6600 a mile. 

Some of the advantages of the pole road are that it is tough 
and strong and does not crack, split or break easily so that if it 
is properly put in it lasts and requires but little maintenance. The 
material for its construction is found along the right of way and 
being small in diameter is less expensive than other road materials. 

Fore and Aft Plank Roads. This type of road is constructed 
by placing cross-ties from eight to ten feet apart, center to center, 
upon which are placed lengthwise for each wheel, two or three 
sawed timbers not less than six inches in thickness and from twelve 
to fifteen inches in width. A good road of this type will deliver 
150 million feet of logs at a conservative estimate. 

The grading is usually light and in many places entirely un- 
necessary. Second-grade six by eight ties with the eight inch face 
placed down, or hewn poles are laid about eight feet apart. Where 
the road bed is soft, the ties are placed closer and in some places 
as near as two and a half feet apart. Over very swampy ground, 
the road known as the fore and aft puncheon road is used. It 
consists simply of cedar puncheon placed crosswise of the road 
with the usual planking nailed securely to it. The plank used 
should never be less than six inches in thickness in the main road 
as it has been proved that four inch plank very soon give way 
under the heavy loads. On the spur lines it is practicable to use 
four inch plank because the road is used only a short time. 

The total width of the road is eight feet and the plank are 
laid on top of the ground, but if they are sunk nearly to the level 
of the ground the road is made considerably more firm and 
enduring, and of course is safer. The ends are adzed smooth to 
present an even surface, drift-bolted to the ties, and all joints 
broken. 

The plank in the track are kept together by means of a three 
by four inch timber driven tightly betw^een the tracks on top of 
the cross-ties at each joint, and a block nailed to the outside of 



32 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 




Fore-and-aft plank road with wedges on cross ties to facilitate the 
re-aligning of the planks. 



the tie at each joint with a wedg-e-shaped piece of wood driven 
between it and the plank. (See ilhistration on page 33.) This 
wedge is driven in from time to time as occasion may demand. 
If, in addition to this construction, dirt or gravel is filled in the 
center to the level of the track, the road is made very solid. 

With a good road of this type and a bearing surface of thirty 
inches, the trouble and expense of a guard rail may be eliminated. 
When a light truck is used for a small body of timber such a wide 
and heavily constructed road is not practical. In this c?se. a four 
inch plank with a fifteen inch surface and an eight inch pole for 
a guard rail would be used. Here again the track must be made 
wider on the sharp curves, often as wide as three and a half feet. 
Usually, the inner rail is made wider than the outer one. On very 
sharp curves the track may have to be planked solid to keep the 
trailer from running off. By sawing out chips from one-half to 
one inch wide two-thirds of the way through the plank, and about 
six feet apart on the inner side, a long plank may be bent around 
quite a sharp curve. The ties, of course, should be placed so as 
to allow the cut sections of the plank to rest squarely on them. 
This does away with the short pieces and so strengthens the track. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



33 



The company logging at Camano Island, Washington, operates 
over a road of this type, an illustration of which is shown on page 
40. The difficulties encountered in the construction of this par- 
ticular road were very considerable as a cut through very hard 
shale, in some places as much as seven feet, was necessary. The 
maintenance on this road is heavier than is usual. Two men are 
employed to work on it continually. The work consists of blocking 
up the loose ties and plank, malting any necessary repairs and keep- 
ing sand and gravel on the steep grades. The cost of this work is 
good insurance as it keeps the road in the best of condition at all 
times and saves on other operating expenses. 

Cost. The first cost of a road of this type is high but it more 
than pays in the long run if a large body of timber is to be hauled 
over it. The timber used in its construction amounts to about 160 
thousand feet per mile. Second grade material can be used at a 





Detailed view of fore-and-aft plank road, sliowing method of wedging'. 



34 Motor Truck Logging Me;thods 

cost of approximately $5,500 a mile for the plank. The total cost 
per mile varies from $6,000 to $8,000. The plank road at Camano 
Island cost $20,000 for two and three-quarter miles, which includes 
the cost of the plank, the grading and labor of putting the plank in 
place. This is at the rate of about $7,275 a mile, or approximately 
$138 a hundred foot station. The overhead charge for the road at 
this operation is $.75 a thousand feet of timber hauled over it. Plank 
roads of lighter construction have been built for $4,000 a mile. 
The length of life is about the same as that of a pole road, three 
to four years. 

The fore and aft plank road is one of the best roads that can 
be put in where the timber is of sufficient quantity to justify the 
expense. The big advantage is the speed that can be made and 
the saving in the equipment. Such a road is very free from bumps 
and the jar and vibration on the truck is no greater than on a 
city pavement. The depreciation on a truck depends to a great 
extent upon the road operated over. With the above type, depre- 
ciation on the truck will not be less than live years. In addition, 
tire mileage will be double that obtained over a pole road, and 
the gasoline and repair expense will be very materially cut. Owing 
to the very small vibration, a load of logs can be brought to the 
landing as fast as it is safe to let the truck glide on a down grade. 
Speeds as high as 20 miles an hour can easily be taken without 
excessive vibration. The traction is greater on this type of road 
than it is on the pole road, due to the greater bearing surface. 
Traction on grades up to 129f is easily secured by sanding the 
plank. 

Concrete Roads. Concrete has been suggested as an ideal 
road material. However, up to the present time, loggers have 
not been very enthusiastic about this type of road on account of 
the cost of construction, which is somewhat more expensive than 
the other types of roads, and on account of the permanence of 
the finished road which is beyond that needed. To the writer's 
knowledge, there is no company operating in the Northwest over 
a concrete road of their own building. In the future such roads 
may be used to a limited extent on the main haul by companies 
which have operations extending over at least a five year period. 
The spur roads will probably always be of some other material. 

In building such roads two tracks of concrete, one for each 
wheel are provided. The sub-grade should be well ditched in the 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 35 

center with cross ditches every fifty feet, as is done with the pole 
road. It has been suggested that the ditches holding the track be 
six inches deep and twenty-six inches wide. They are filled to 
the top with concrete and built with a lip four inches high and 
four inches wide along the outside on top of the main surface to 
serve as a guard rail. No forms are necessary except for the 
guard lip. 

A word of caution here m^y not be amiss. Concrete roads of 
this nature must be regarded as only experimental, for no specific 
data are available for determining the proper section of concrete 
to be used for carrying heavy loads on so narrow a bearing surface. 
It is evident that the carrying capacity of such strips of concrete 
would be greatly affected by the character of the sub-base. It will 
therefore be impossible to specify a standard that can be used 
under all conditions. 

The use of the concrete guard rail is one of the disadvantages 
of this road. The edges of the rail cannot be made rounding 
except by special foiTns and the rubbing of the tires against this 
rough surface would greatly reduce the tire mileage. In addition, 
the rail is so exposed to weather and hard wear that it cannot be 
relied upon to serve effectively for any great length of time. The 
placing of forms is also a considerable item of expense in building 
such a road. A method which would eliminate such an expense 
and at the same time provide a more practical rail would be an 
advantage. 

t e'e" . 




Figure 2. Cross section of concrete road. Scale — 1 inch equals 2 feet. 

It has already been said that guard rails are unnecessary with 
a thirty inch track except on shaip curves and otherwise dangerous 
places. However, where rails are necessary the wooden rail fas- 
tened by bolts embedded in the .concrete as illustrated above, is quite 
effective and readily installed. This consists of a four by six inch 
plank placed on edge and drift-bolted to the concrete every three 
to five feet by a three-quarter inch bolt. These bolts are placed 



36 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

in the concrete when it is poured and should be embedded six 
inches. This will provide a rail less expensive to build than a 
concrete rail and one which will last longer and save on tires. 
Replacements are easily made by removing the nuts and placing 
a new plank in place of the old. With a guard rail of this type, 
there is left a twenty-six inch track for the wheels to run in. 

Experiments by W. D. Pence (Journ. West. Soc. Eng. Vol. 
VI, 1901, Page 549) on 1:2:4 concrete give an average value of 
0.0000055 inches per degree Fahrenheit for the coefficient of ex- 
pansion. The richer the concrete, the greater the change in dimen- 
sion. Due to the expansion, in laying the concrete the track must 
be broken every twenty-iive or thirty feet by placing a half-inch 
board in the ditch when the concrete is being tilled in. Later this 
board is removed and the joint filled with asphalt so that the 
concrete may expand without danger of cracking the road. 

Cost. The best mix to use in building this road is what is 
known as the 1 :2^ :5. For one cubic yard of concrete, the follow- 
ing amounts of materials will be used for the above mix: 1.21 
barrels of cement, 0.46 cubic yards of sand, and 0.92 cubic yards 
of stone. At the present prices, the cost for the materials for this 
road is about twenty cents a cubic foot or about $4,400 a mile. 
The total cost of the road including the necessary grading, ditch- 
ing and labor, will be from $7,000 to $9,000 per mile. 

One of the big advantages of the concrete road is the large 
gain in traction secured when operating on steep grades. A motor 
truck will haul up a twelve per cent and down a fifteen per cent 
grade in wet weather on concrete due to the roughened surface 
on which the tires do not easily slip. This, of course, would be 
dangerous to attempt on the other types of roads. Another advan- 
tage is the small item of upkeep necessary. A road well laid in 
the first place should need no repair except to replace worn guard 
rails as they show signs of weakening. The concrete road, how- 
ever, will not be generally used except on the mainline by the 
larger concerns, or for short distances on steep grades where 
greater traction is desired. 

BRIDGES 

In most cases the construction of bridges is unnecessary on 
account of the steep grades the trucks can take and because they 
can negotiate sharp curves, which make it easier to avoid expensive 



Motor Truck Logging Me;thods 37 

bridge work. Where they are absokitely necessary a serviceable 
bridge is made of cribwork. 

The Esary Logging Company of Camano Island, Washington, 
operates over a crib bridge 175 feet long and 15 feet high. The 
sub-structure of this bridge is made of logs laid alternately cross- 
wise in tiers. Six by twelve inch plank are laid diagonally on the 
cribbing and four by twelve inch plank are placed on cross-wise 
to the road on top. This makes a bumpy surface. A better one 
could be made w^ith cross-ties placed on the cribbing with fore 
and aft planking on top. A guard rail is placed on all bridges. 

Short bridges up to eighty or ninety feet in length are con- 
structed by the use of two large logs hewn flat on the upper sur- 
face. The logs should be at least thirty-six inches in diameter 
and perfectly sound. They are placed at the proper gauge and 
the regular road on cross-ties constructed on top. On such short 
stretches this type of bridge has been operated over without sup- 
ports. It is not used, however, for long stretches. The long 
bridges are, of course, constructed of bents or piling but are very 
seldom used in connection with motor truck transportation on 
account of the expensive construction and because they are usually 
unnecessary. 

TURNING DEVICES AND TURNOUTS 

When the truck and trailer reach the place where they are to 
be loaded, some method must be used to turn them around. 
Various means are used to accomplish this. One is the motor 
truck turn-table. The turn-table should be slightly longer than the 
length of the truck and trailer combined. It is constructed of 
heavy plank and timbers so that each track is about 16 inches wide 
and tapers in thickness from about 14 inches at the center to 4 
inches at the ends. The two tracks are held together at the center 
and each end by heavy timbers. A heavy timber is sunk to the 
level of the road and at the center two circular saws are laid. A 
king bolt through the center brace of the turn-table and through 
the two saws into the sunken timber provides a pivot upon which 
the table turns. When properly balanced and with a little oil 
between the surfaces of the saws, the turn-table can be operated 
by hand with very little effort. It is usually placed at the end of 
the road. A turn-table can be loaded on the truck and trailer when 
it is desired to move it, so that as the road is extended into the 



38 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



limber, a means of turning the truck can be obtained close to the 
point where the logs are to be loaded. This device can be built at 
a cost of from $75 to $125 and is very serviceable. The main objec- 
tion to its use is that the setting has to be just right to make it work 
satisfactorily and it is sometimes difficult to get a spot that is level 
enough. It is always a difficult problem and a different one for 
each set-up. 

The use of the "back around" is more common with truck 
loggers at present because it is easier to build. The back-around 
is simply a pocket or short spur along the road above the landing 
ground which is planked solid. The truck and trailer are backed 
into this far enough so that the truck can pull ahead in the oppo- 
site direction. This method of turning the truck requires only a 
little extra clearing and grading and is less expensive and more 
easily constructed than a turn-table. 

When two or more truck units are to be used on a single 
track, a careful calculation must be made to determine the best 
passing places. The location of these points may determine 
the success of the operation. They should be placed so that the 
truck returning empty can reach the turnout before the loaded 




Tuiii-out on fore-and-aft plank road. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 39 

one comes along in order that the loaded one mav not be held vip. 
At the same time, the turnout should not be so far away from the 
loading ground that the loading crew will be idle for any length 
of time while waiting for an empty truck. It is better to have an 
extra turnout, even if seldom used, than conditions that would 
hinder efficient operation or might even result in a collision which 
would tie up the logging for several days. 

A few loggers build a turnout of the same material as the 
main road for a short distance to the side. An illustration of this 
type of turnout is shown above. Most of them, however, 
simply clear off a right of way and put in a gravel bottom for the 
road as the waiting truck at this point is empty and will not ordi- 
narily sink into the ground and get stalled. A few heavy plank 
laid fore and aft in the form of a track are sometimes used. The 
construction of passing places is very simple — the only important 
thing to be taken into consideration is the proper point at which 
the trucks should pass in order to keep the operation going at 
maximum efficiency. 

TELEPHONES 

In connection with the passing places, the installation of a 
telephone line is an important but often neglected item. With 
two or more transportation units, a telephone line is handy if not 
well nigh indispensable accessory. It is a great advantage to have 
such a system with stations at each end of the road and also at the 
passing places, as unavoidable delays will frequently allow a wait- 
ing truck to move on to another passing place, thus saving time. 
To avoid accidents, the driver at the passing place should call the 
loader at the spar tree to see if the road is clear before coming 
any farther. 

\'ery often something breaks on the yarding or loading donkey. 
With the telephone, perhaps a half day of shutdown may be saved 
by calling the main camp for the repair parts and having them 
brought up by the next truck. The saving due to avoided accidents 
and the saving of time more than pays for the initial expense of 
installation. The telephone line should not be neglected at the 
larger operations. 

INCLINES 

In rough country the use of the incline has been a great help 
and has proved to be entirely practical and quite economical. 



40 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

Grades as high as sixty or even seventy per cent can be safely 
taken with an incline if the proper measures are taken to prevent 
accidents. 

A typical incline is successfully operated by the Meickel- 
john, Brown Logging Company near Monroe, Washington. 
It is fifteen hundred feet long and the steepest grade is twenty- 
eight per cent. An 11-in. x 14-in. roader donkey located at the 
top of the incline snubs the loads down and hauls up the empty 
trucks. A one and one-eighth inch wire cable is thrown around 
the logs arid made fast by means of a clevis. This holds the truck 
and prevents the logs from slipping forward and injuring the 
driver. On all inclines, the line should be choked around the logs 
rather than simply attached to the truck to prevent them from 
slipping ahead. 

The snubbing device consists of an ordinary donkey engine 
fitted with a hand brake of extra large size and special air valves 
so that air is sucked into the cylinders and let out of the exhaust 
when the engine is being pulled backwards by the weight of the 
load. The load is controlled by the amount of air let out of the 
valves. The braking action is very positive and the load can be 
stopped in a few revolutions of the crank shaft. 

The average time to lower the load down the incline is three 
and a half minutes. At the bottom of the incline, the cable is 
released and the truck goes on its way. The cable is attached to 
the waiting truck by means, of a ring fastened to the frame and 
the donkey pulls the empty truck to the top. The time taken to 
raise the trucks is three minutes. 

On grades too steep to operate a truck safely with the ordi- 
nary brakes and yet not steep enough to warrant the expense of 
the donkey snubber, the difficulty is overcome by means of a fric- 
tion snubber. This consists simply of a cable which is hooked to 
the truck and extends through a system of three or four pulleys 
and thence on down the track. The friction of this line dragging 
on the ground and passing through the pulleys is enough to hold 
the load so that the truck engine must exert power to pull the load 
down the grade. The line is made long enough so that as the load 
reaches the bottom of the grade, the free end of the cable has been 
pulld up to the system of pulleys and is ready to be attached to 
the next load. This system is efficient for small grades, is inex- 
pensive to install, and requires no further attention. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 41 

By the use of the inchne with the donkey engine snubber, 
very heavy grades can be taken. The construction of the incline 
is the same as the rest of the road and is only slightly more expen- 
sive to build because of the inconvenience of laying it on such a 
steep slope. The use of the incline will not slow up the opera- 
tion to any great extent as from fifty to seventy thousand feet of 
logs (which is about the average yarding and loading capacity of 
one motor-truck side), can be tajcen over it in a day. This method 
of hauling down steep grades is used in several operations and has 
been found to be entirely successful. 

YARDING 

A variety of methods are used by motor truck loggers to get 
the logs to the landing to be loaded. The larger operations in- 
variably use the high-lead method of yarding as the logs come 
in quicker and with fewer hang-ups. In a few places the old 
ground method of yarding with a bull block is still used. The 
horse team and skid road is used in a small timber where poles 
and piling are being marketed. The latter is a slow method but will 
keep one truck busy and is still used in some places where small 
stands are located along the highway or in other readily accessible 
places. 

LOADING AND UNLOADING 

The loading of a motor truck is very much the same propo- 
sition as the loading of a flat-car. The principal difficulties that 
trucks have had to contend with have been poor roads and in- 
efficient methods of loading. In loading, the main trouble has 
been in regulating the yarding so that a supply of logs is always 
on hand. The use of the gin pole and crotch line operated by the 
straw drum of the yarding donkey ties up the yarding until the 
truck is loaded. This is being overcome by using a separate engine 
with the high lead for yarding and doing the logging independently 
of the yarding as is done in the case of railroad logging. In this 
way the yarder can keep ahead of the loading engine and there 
will be no delay at the landing. 

]\Iost of the larger companies load with the Duplex loader 
and use tongs. This is a safer way to load than with the crotch 
line as the logs can be more easily controlled. The danger of 
dropping a log through the truck or of knocking off the top of 
the truck or the driver's seat is greatly lessened. 



42 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



In pole and piling timber where a skid road and horses are 
used, loading is done by hand or with a team. A landing is built 
of cribwork and the logs are simply rolled on the truck with 
peavies or cant hooks, or a parbuckle system with skids and horses 
is used. This works fairly well for small operations in small 
timber. 




Loading a motor truck antl trailer through the use of a tjoom. 

The latest development in loading is the boom. An illustra- 
tion of this method is shown above. The boom itself is a 
fifty to sixty foot pole about eighteen inches in diameter at the 
base and is attached to the spar tree by means of a metal strap 
with two lugs which are fitted into holes bored in the spar to keep 
the strap from slipping. The base of the boom is fitted with a 
metal joint which moves freely on an upright pin set in the metal 
strap. (See A, above.) The whole rig is set high enough on 
the tree so that it may be swung in a semi-circle and clear the 
loaded truck by several feet. A light line (B) from the haul- 
back drum of the donkey passes through a block attached low on 
the spar tree and thence to another block on a stump to the right 
of the landing. From here it passes through a third block at the 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 43 

end of the boom and back to the stump again. This secures the 
needed pulHng power from the haulback drum. 

The Hfting hne from the mainhne drum passes through a 
block half way up the tree and thence through a free swinging 
block (C) and back to the tree again. On the second block is a 
ring to which two one inch lines (D) are attached. These lines 
pass through the boom stick on rollers (E) about fifteen feet apart. 
On the ends of these lines hooks are attached. These two lines 
should be so arranged that the hooks remain parallel to the ground. 
Two three-quarters inch cables (F) with an eye splice in each end 
are attached to the hooks. These lines, or chokers, are then 
wrapped around the log and it is lifted clear of the ground by 
means of the block hold in the main line. 

The haulback line (B) from the donkey is slacked and the 
boom travels over to the truck by means of a line (G) attached 
from the boom to a dummy log running on a special guy line. A 
log two feet in diameter and sixteen feet long is wrapped at each 
end with a cable and fastened to a pulley. The two pulleys and 
attached dummy log travel up and down the guy line as the boom 
moves. A line is attached to the boom and runs through a pulley 
attached to the dummy log and extends back to the boom again. 
This pulls the boom over above the truck as the dummy log travels 
down the guy line. The logs are held parallel to the ground above 
the truck and the truck is run under the boom to the location 
designated by the head loader. With this system the logs will 
not drop suddenly on the trucks as the log will fall ofif while being 
carried over to the truck if there is any danger of its falling at 
all. After the log is placed, the boom is pulled back to the landing 
by the haulback line. This system has worked with success in 
a number of motor truck operations and is a safer method than 
loading with tongs because the logs cannot accidentally drop and 
injure the truck. However, the loading situation should be studied 
carefully. The most efficient loading device for the particular 
needs of the operation may be installed as any loss of time in 
loading seriously affects the output of the operation. 

Most of the truck loggers unload their logs into water; either 
into a lake, a river that can be driven, or into tide-water. A few, 
however, unload directly into the log pond at the mill or at the log 
)ard in case the mill has no log pond. 

The road is usually planked solid at the unloading ground. 
A great help in unloading is a dock from six to twelve inches 



44 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



higher on one side than on the other so the logs will roll off the 
truck easily. The brow-skid should be close to the log bunks and 
just a little lower than these when the truck is tilted. When 
unloading into shallow water, such as a small river, six or eight 
skids a foot and a half in diameter are placed so that they slope 
from the brow-skid to the water at an angle of forty-five degrees. 
An illustration of this method of unloading is shown below. 
The skids are so placed that the unloading ground will not be 
undermined. 




Unloading truck and trailer through the use of an incline, showing 
brow-skids and roll-way. 



When the truck comes to a stop on the incline, the chock 
blocks are released from the opposite side and the logs roll off 
of their own accord. In some instances a gill-poke has been used 
in connection with the unloading incline, the logs being sheared 
off as the truck moves ahead. Usually the logs roll off readily with- 
out the use of the gill-poke and if a load does stick it can be 
loosened with a cant-hook, so that the gill-poke really is unneces- 
sary. 

Unloading on public wharves or roads where no permanent 
incline can be used is accomplished by placing a portable wedge- 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



45 




Parbuckling a load of logs from the truck and trailer. 

shaped timber in front of the outside truck and trailer wheels 
and driving upon it. 

In the most efficient way of unloading the usual brow-skid is 
placed a few inches below the log bunk and the logs are parbuckled 
from the truck and trailer, an illustration of which is shown 
above. The trucks are run on an incline so that one side is raised 
about four inches. A crotch-line consisting of two half-inch cables 
is attached to the brow-skid and passed under the logs to a ring 
fastened to an inch cable. The larger cable passes thru a block 
located on a gin pole. A light yarding or a land clearing donkey 
furnishes the power to parbuckle the logs into the water. By this 
method the logs are lifted from the truck as they are rolled into 
the water with little danger of the top log dropping on the log 
bunk as is often the case when other methods are used, resulting 
in expensive repairs for broken springs or bearings. 



TIME STUDIES 

Time is a very important item in loading and unloading. 
Usually the most time is consumed in loading, for which reason 
any improvement that will reduce the time taken to load will 



46 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 



greatly increase the efficiency of the operation. With the proper 
unloading devices, the truck may be unloaded in the time rec[uired 
to knock down the chock blocks. 

The following table is a record kept for one day of the actual 
time taken by a truck at each step in the hauling of lags at one 
operation. However, it is possible to give only arbitrary figures 
to fit the particular operation of which they are taken. No average 
figures can be given that fit all conditions. 



DONKEY ENGINE 



DUMP AT MILL 



Arrive 


Time 




Time 




Unload- 




Time 




A. M. 


Loading 


Leave 


Down 


Arrive 


ing 


Leave 


Up 


Scale 


7:15 


10 Min. 


7:25 


20 Min. 


7:45 


25 Min. 


8:10 


20 Min. 


2592 


8:30 


5 Min. 


8:35 


27 Min. 


8:57 


13 Min. 


9:10 


20 Min. 


2092 


9:30 


12 Min. 


9:42 


21 Min. 


10:03 


7 Min. 


10:10 


20 Min. 


1908 


10:30 


12 Min. 


10:42 


33 Min. 


11:15 


30 Min. 


11:45 


20 Min. 


3074 


P.M. 


















12:05 


10 Min. 


12:15 


35 Min. 


12:50 


17 Min. 


1:07 


20 Min. 


2542 


1:27 


15 Min. 


1:42 


18 Min. 


2:00 


27 Min. 


2:27 


20 Min. 


1828 


2:47 


8 Min. 


2:55 


21 Min. 


3:16 


8 Min. 


3:24 


20 Min. 


1689 


3:44 


11 Min. 


3:55 


23 Min. 


4:18 


9 Min. 


4:27 


20 Min. 


2407 


4:47 


14 Min. 


5:01 


26 Min. 


5:27 


12 Min. 


5:39 


20 Min. 


2558 












/ Total 




20690 



Length of haul 5.9 miles round trip. 

Amount of gasoline, 15 gallons. 

The above figures were taken several \ears ago when the 
facilities for unloading were slower than the present day methods, 
which accounts for the excessive length of time taken to unload.* 

The unloading of a truck is a time when a little care taken will 
save considerable expense for repairs. Such a method as the par- 
buckling system should be used by companies with sufficient stump- 
age to warrant the expense of the extra donkey, to prevent the 
top logs from dropping to the log bunks, thereby saving the cost 
of repairing broken springs and bearings. 



CONCLUSION 

At present, the possibilities for the use of the motor truck for 
logging are just beginning to be realized. What effect their use 
will have upon the future methods of logging remains to be seen. 
It is certain, however, that the advent of motor truck transportation 
will have a marked effect upon the science of forestry and will bring 
about a closer utilization of our timber resources. 

The motor truck and the portable band mill seem likely to 
furnish a combination which will do away with the old wasteful 

*Tlie writer is indebted to Mr. George Gunn, Jr., for these figures. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 47 

circular mill because it supplies the cheapness and efficiency of 
railroad transportation and is applicable to small and scattered 
tracts and to stands of low-grade lumber. The fact that the port- 
able band mill may be moved for a cut of a million feet assures 
adaptability. This is not only an industrial advance but also a 
silvicultural advance in that it afifords the possibility of cuttings 
at frequent intervals without greatly adding to the cost. 

A closer utilization of our present stands of timber may be 
practiced by the use of the motor truck. In the northwest, only 
the larger material is taken from the forest, leaving a large amount 
of good timber on the ground in the form of poles and piling and 
chunks too short to be made into saw lumber but from which high 
grade ties can be made. The truck, in connection with a band mill, 
will furnish a means of utilizing this present waste at a profit to 
the operator. 

The motor truck will be a valuable aid in the working out of 
a sound national forest policy for the proper use of our timber 
resources so that the timber will be utilized to the greatest possible 
extent and at the same time methods taken to provide for the 
pei-petuation of the forest for future generations. This suggests 
a way of opening the timber for the market on some of our national 
forests. Most of the government owned forests are situated in 
more or less rugged country back from the regular routes of 
travel. The timber on a great many of these forests is over- 
mature and should be cut but at this time it is inaccessible. The 
problem confronting the country is how to make it accessible. 

The plan for opening these forests is to build permanent con- 
crete or asphalt roads from the nearest commercial centers thru 
these tracts taking into consideration the aesthetic value of the 
location as well as the possibilities of logging the timber from 
them. The timber, then, is to be taken out, under some silvicul- 
tural system and under government supervision, by motor truck 
operators who build their own roads from the nearest concrete 
road to the timber to be cut. Under this system of management, 
the state and federal government pays a part of the expense of 
building the permanent road and the operator pays a small sum 
for the use of the road by being taxed additional stumpage. 

The system of management has many advantages. In the 
first place, the mature timber will be logged, the older decadent 
material coming out first, in small bodies and at the same time 
care being taken to reproduce a new stand. The total area is 



48 Motor Truck Logging Methods 

divided so that as the timber is logged in rotation a continuous 
cutting will be assured. Due to the use of the trucks and on 
account of the timber being cut in rotation, the fire danger will be 
greatly lessened. In case a fire gets beyond control, the roads 
thru the forest make an excellent way to bring in men and 
supplies to fight the fire. In this way, a fire is readily accessible 
in a few hours where formerly it took perhaps several days to 
organize the fire fighting party and reach the scene of action. The 
concrete roads themselves make good fire lines. By means of the 
good roads, the forest is opened to campers and tourists each of 
whom pays a small sum as they enter the forest to help pay for the 
cost of building the roads and to provide funds for more extensive 
highways. In this way the forest is opened for the timber, the 
best methods of utilization and forest regeneration are practiced, 
fire hazard is reduced, and the area is opened as a recreational 
ground so that the greatest possible value is obtained from the 
tract. 

A great many other uses of the motor truck for logging and 
scientific forest utilization are being recognized, as example, for 
transporting pulpwood, veneer stock, cordwood, rosin and turpen- 
tine, and other forest products. Suffice it to say that this method 
of transportation has found a place in the industry and is here to 
stay. Its value has been recognized beyond doubt and in the 
future will play an important part in the further development of 
this country. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

1916. Motor Truck Logging. 

The Power Wagon. Sept. 15. Page 34. (Periodical). 
1916. The Law of the Public Highway in Washington. 

West Coast Lumberman. Sept. 15. Page 23. (Periodical). 

1916. Motor Truck Logging Now Making Great Strides on the 

Pacific Coast. 
West Coast Lumberman. Nov. 1. Page 260. (Periodical). 

1917. Motor Truck Logging in the Pacific Northwest. 

West Coast Lumberman. Mar. 15. Page 70. (Periodical). 
1917. A'lotor Trucks in High Favor Among Lumbermen. 

Lumber World Review. Mar. 25. Page 23. (Periodical). 
1917. Motor Truck Logging on Camano Island. 

West Coast Lumberman. July 1. Page 28. (Periodical). 
1917. Motor Truck Logging. 



Motor Truck Logging Methods 49 

The Commercial Vehicle. Sept. 1. Page 12. (Periodical). 
1918. Pole Roads. A. R. Hillard. 

West Coast Lumberman. Feb. 1. Page 34. (Periodical). 
1918. Operating Cost of Motor Trucks Computed. H. S. Finch. 

Timberman. Feb. 1. Page 60. (Periodical). 
1918. Winch for Motor Trucks. 

American Lumberman. Mar. 2. Page 58. (Periodical). 
1918. Motor Truck Roads. 

American Lumberman. Mar. 16. Page 38. (Periodical). 
1918. The Motor Truck in the Logging Industry. H. H. Warwood. 

Timberman. April 1. Page 74. (Periodical). 
1918. Road Construction for Motor Trucks. Jay C. Smith. 

Timberman. April 1. Page 38. (Periodical). 
1918. Adjustable Reach Logging Trailer. 

American Lumberman. May 18. Page 63. (Periodical). 
1918. Demonstrating Duplex Trucks. 

American Lumberman. June 1. Page 63. (Periodical). 
1918. Modern Motor Truck Solves Difficult Logging Problems- 
West Coast Lumberman. July 1. Page 18D. (Periodical). 

1918. Motor Trucks in Winter Logging. A. R. Hilliard. 

West Coast Lumberman. Sept. 1. Page 25. (Periodical). 

1919. The Efifect of Changed Conditions Upon Forestry. W. W. 

Ashe. 
Journal of Forestry. Oct. 1. Page 657. (Periodical). 

1919. Puget Sound Logger Tells Congress How to Log With 

Motor Trucks. 
West Coast Lumberman. October. Page 25. (Periodical). 

1920. Air Brakes for Trucks. 

Timberman. Mar. 1. Page 48g. (Periodical). 

The writer has drawn freely from the material found in the 
above periodicals and trade journals, but wishes to acknowledge 
the greater bulk of information in writing this paper received from 
the various truck salesmen and truck operators who were inter- 
viewed personally. Without their assistance, the gathering of this 
information would have been impossible. 



Publications of the Engineering Experiment Station 
University of Washington 

Bulletin No. 1 — Creosoted Wood Stave Pipe and Its Effect Upon Water 
"for Donifestic and Irrigational Uses. 1917. 
(Bureau of Industrial Research.) 20 pp. Price, 25 cents. 

Bulletin No. 2 — An Investigation of the Iron Ore.Resources of the North- 
west. By William Harrison Whittier. 1917. 
(Bureau of Industrial Research.) 128 pp. Price, 60 cents. 

Bulletin No. 3 — An Industrial Survey of Seattle. By Curtis C. Aller. 
1918. 
(Bureau of Industrial Research.) 64 pp. Price, BO cents. 

Bulletin No. 4 — A Summary of Mining and Metalliferous Mineral Re- 
sources in the State of Washington with Bibliography, 

By Arthur Homer Fischer. 1919. 

124 pp. Price, 75 cents. 

Bulletin No. 5 — Electrometallurgical and Electrochemical Industry in 
the State of Washington. By Charles Denham Grier. 
1919. 

43 pp. Price, 50 cents. 

Bulletin No. 6 — Ornamental Concrete Lamp Posts. By Carl Edward 

Magnusson. 1919. 

24 pp. Price, 40 cents. 

Bulletin No. 7 — Multiplex Radio Telegraphy and Telephony. 1920. 
By F. M. Ryan, J. R. Toimie, R. O. Bach. 

Price 50 cents. 

Bulletin No. 8 — Voltage Wave Analysis with Indicating Instruments. 
By Leslie Forrest Curtis. 1920. 

28 pp. Price 50 cents. 

Bulletin No. 9 — The Coking Industry of the Pacific Northwest. 
By Joseph Daniels. 1920. 

86 pp. Price, 60 cents. 

Bulletin No. 10 — An Investigation of Compressed Spruce Pulleys. 
By George Samuel Wilson. 1920. 

72 pp. Price 80 cents. 

Bulletin No. 11— -The Theory of Linear- Sinoidal Oscillations. 
By Henry Godfrey Cordes. 1920. 

24 pp. Price 40 cents. 

Bulletin No. 12 — Motor Truck Logging Methods. 

By Frederick Malcolm Knapp. 1921. 

o2 pp. Price, 50 cents. 

Requests for bulletins should be addressed to the Director, Engineer- 
ing Experiment Station, University of Washington, Seattle. 



